Center for Jewish Living

Rabbi Ami Silver:

Ami is the JLIC co-educator on campus. Born and raised in New York City, Ami is returning to the Empire State after many years abroad. He spent his first year after high school studying at Yeshivat Maale Gilboa in the north of Israel, and then received a B.A. in Jewish Thought and World Religions from McGill University which included a year and a half of classes at Hebrew University. Since that time he has been living in and around Jerusalem, studying at Yeshivat Bat Ayin and Yeshivat Sulam Yaakov, where he received his semicha (ordination) and mentored newcomers to Jewish learning at Ashrei, Sulam Yaakov's beginners' program. For years, Ami and his wife Eliana have been hosting a lively Shabbat table and an open door for people who are hungry for Torah. Before coming to Cornell, Ami has worked as a tree-planter in the Canadian hinterlands, a Jewish outdoor educator in Israel, and a translator for the Steinsaltz Center. He has also trained in various counseling programs.
Ami strives to unearth relevant life lessons from all areas of Torah learning and observance. To that end, he is passionate about helping others discover their personal connection to Torah and Judaism, and enhancing that connection through fun, meaningful experiences. He is excited to share his love for people and Torah at Cornell, and to invigorate the Jewish experience on campus. His other loves include hiking, running, basketball, and playing guitar, and he is always up for a good shmooze (tea/ coffee on the house), game of basketball or jam session.
You can contact him at 607-793-8598.

Eliana Silver:

Eliana is the JLIC co-educator on campus. She grew up in a small town in Massachusetts, leaving early to attend college where she graduated with a B.A. in psychology. In 2004, Eliana made aliyah and immersed herself in intensive yeshiva studies in the heart of Jerusalem for five years. During that time Eliana taught Torah, ran a healthy catering company, and worked as an editor and translator for the Steinsaltz Center. She played an integral role in founding and running the Veani Tefilah minyan, studied counseling at the Jerusalem Polarity School, and trained as a group facilitator for Jewish womens groups.
Eliana loves cooking, especially large nourishing meals in the grand tradition of her Jewish foremothers - her grandmother authored many wholesome kosher cookbooks. She loves great coffee shops, reading the New Yorker and all good writing, hiking, and dancing (her guilty pleasure is So You Think Can Dance). As a Torah educator, Elianas passion is developing personal relationships that foster the individuals discovery of a meaningful Jewish experience. Eliana can be found around campus wearing the newest (and cutest) addition to the Silver family, Noveya Tzion.

Robert Levine:

Robert Levine really likes oceans and also other things. His passion for never staying in one place for too long has taken him to Israel, Hawaii, Cape Cod, and all over campus as a Cornell tour guide. Ask him to play the drums for you some time. You will be impressed. We thank Rob for using his bedroom last year as a CJL brewing station. He is really good at everything and knows a lot of things.

Nate Schorr:

Nate Schorr is the co-president of the Center for Jewish Living. As an Economics and Near Eastern Studies major, Nate felt it would be appropriate to use his well-honed finance and Hebrew skills to...run this Jewish non-profit. Original, no? Nate grew up in the hard-nosed Riverdale neighborhood in the Bronx and took a gap year in Israel to study Judaic Studies at Yeshivat Lev Hatorah before making the trek upstate (e.g., anything past Rockland County) to Cornell. Nate enjoys schmoozing, listening to music your friends havenÕt heard of, and watching his beloved Tottenham Hotspur and moribund (yet still beloved) New York Knicks. After an amicable separation from 78.4% of his hair, Nate is excited to lead the CJL this semester. He hopes that you, adventurous reader, will enjoy becoming a member of our community.

Victor Haas:

Victor Haas is the erstwhile house manager at the Center for Jewish Living. Though not entirely sure how he ended up with the position, he has resigned himself the fact that it is his job to keep the house standing. During the minimal amount of time that he does not spend moving beds or changing lightbulbs, Victor studies Chemistry, a major defined by him as "how to blow things up." Victor also enjoys sleeping until noon on weekends and streaming South Park on his laptop.

Rachel Blady:

Rachel Blady is a junior studying Communication. She knew the CJL would become her home when she attended the enormously popular CJL Prospective Student Shabbaton as a senior at North Shore Hebrew Academy HS. She has now taken upon herself the duty of making sure the Shabbaton is as well-attended and fun as the one she first experienced. She also takes great pleasure in making the weekly announcements, compiling fantastic composites, and assisting anyone with any question they may have about Jewish life at Cornell! Rachel hails from the seventh of the Five Towns, North Woodmere, but since she got Third Floored she knows where her true home is now (represent)!

Avi Fainchtein:

Avi Fainchtein is a senior majoring in Economics and minoring in Spanish and Latin American Studies. As the yearly affirmative action Hispanic appointee he brings to the board a spicy south of the border creativity. This should come in handy when using his language skills to communicate to the growing Spanish speaking population of the Center for Jewish Living. An avid member of the Chai Notes, Cornell's Jew-a-capella, Avi is always happy to give willing and unwilling students alike tastes of a truly incredible choir. Avi is also a big fan of the ever-dismal Washington, DC area sports teams, and can be seen touting their prowess despite their unquestionably long lists of flaws. Avi hopes that he along with his co-VP Comm, Rachel Blady, can make you feel at home at the CJL this upcoming year.

Marissa Angell:

My name is Marissa Angell, and I am one of the two programmers for the Center for Jewish Living. I transferred to Cornell from Syracuse University in January of 2010 and will graduate with a degree in Agricultural Sciences in 2012. I love Jewish life on campus, and I'm also the musical director of Cornell's best A Cappella group, the Chai Notes. I can't wait to be a part of the CJL board and plan a great year for all involved.

Peninah Feldman:

Peninah Feldman '13 is really excited to co-program great programming for the CJL this year! She studies Agricultural Sciences and spends the rest of her time playing Klezmer guitar, crocheting things, surfing myzmanim and getting rides in nice people's cars. Peninah grew up in the obscure town of Teaneck, NJ and took a pre-Cornell gap year learning Torah in Migdal Oz. She loves the CJL and can't wait to come home every day (third floor represent!). We're going to have a rocking year of programming together!

Shira Baly:

Originally from Los Angeles, Shira brings some west coast fun to Ithaca! She is a food science major, applying these talents impressively to the North Star Kosher station. Always a friendly face, we are glad to have Shira to consult with our accountant!

Elliot Dine:

After growing up in the small Jewish town (unless your're from outside New York and then its relatively large) of Silver Spring, MD, Elliot spent a gap year at Yeshivat MaÕale Gibloa, where he gained a passion for Jewish living and Jewish learning. He thus decided to join the CJL; known either as the Center for Jewish Living or (according to The Daily Sun) the Jewish Learning Center. When not involved in the academic pursuits necessary for a B.S. in biology, Elliot can usually be found working on the CJL finances into the wee hours of nights (perhaps even after 11:00pm!!!) or in Polevoy's room playing Super Smash Brothers. Elliot hopes to continue in the ways of past treasurers, so that the CJL can continue to provide its amazing services for the students of Cornell University.

Josh Polevoy

Josh Polevoy is not the first member of his family to serve as a CJL board member, but he is certainly the most enthusiastic. After counting down the days of yeshiva and freshman year until he could finally move into the house, Josh is honored to call the CJL home. His contributions to the community have been immense, his most impressive being his undefeated Super Smash Brothers record. Cornell is blessed to have Josh bring some spiritual rejuvenation to the community.

Eli Shaubi:

A friendly face, constantly jumping from table to table at Shabbat Dinners at 104 West! to try and meet as many people as possible, Eli wants to make the Center for Jewish Living your Jewish home on campus. Combining a passion for Torah with a love of the Jewish people, Eli is always more than happy to sit down and have anywhere from a 5-minute to a 3-hour conversation about Judaism. Always with a smile on his face, Eli loves meeting new people from any background and is always looking to learn more from his friends and people around him.